[deleted]

Honestly, if you’re on Facebook joint Parents of Camberville and either Dads of Camberville or the correct Moms of Camberville cohort (I believe you’d be 4.0). With a June 2018 kid, you’d be looking at K but for all the details, these groups should serve you well.

https://www.cpsd.us/cms/One.aspx?pageId=3474753

Yes, this is the best starting point. It looks like the Family Resource Center has been rebranded the Student Registration Center. They are a great source of information and will point you in the right direction. Though well meaning, many Cambridge parents do not fully understand the system or recent changes to school placement. Take all social media advice with a grain of salt.

Most of the info is here https://www.cpsd.us/departments/src/registering_for/january_kindergarten_lottery

There are several schools, and a lottery system. You pick your top 3, enrollment is this month, so don’t wait to enroll. Schools offer tours by appointment if you want to see them.

4.5 is on the line for age. If they were born before Aug 31, 2018 they would be enrolling in Kindergarten, and if they were born later in 2018 it would be Junior Kindergarten.

I also found it all pretty confusing. Check out this ‘How the JKK lottery works’ was hidden on the waitlist/transfer faqs https://cdn5-ss5.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3042785/File/departments/administration/frc/How_JKK_Lottery_Works.pdf

Cambridge and Somerville have very different systems, so a mixed group like that would be confusing.

Thankfully, you’re just in time! Lottery for JK/K placement ends at the end of the month, and after that you just get placed where there is space. Info is on the sites provided here.

Also, welcome to Cambridge! Feel free to DM me if you want to meet up at a playground with the kids! (I also have a 4.5 year old)

Actually it is a group that has parents from Cambridge, Somerville, and surrounding towns and is a robust community with a ton of helpful info and helpful people.

Yes, I understand. My point is that OP needs to be sure the question is specific to Cambridge and the response is as well. Someone from Somerville isn’t going to be helpful.

CPSD is a better option.

Others have said it, but I want to emphasize that you're asking this question at the *perfect* time. The JK/K lottery is this month and only this month! (Well, you can register later, but you have less choice.) Act now!

Also - the CPSD site has recordings of Zoom information sessions explaining the lottery. Might be helpful.

Also also - Cambridge is full of excellent elementary schools. You're unlikely to make a wrong choice.

In addition to the lottery, reach out to the CPSD. When we moved here last year, one of them ‘took over’ our case and navigated us through every step. It was quite fantastic and made it easy for us.

Thank you all, this is all super useful! I’ve reached out to the organisation & got some advice. I have a follow up question…. Which pre-K/schools do you recommend in the central Cambridge area? And why? Thanks again 🙏🏼

It'll be better to make a new post so that more people will see it

I recommend your proximity schools. You will have 2 and you get a lottery bonus to enroll (Amigos is never a proximity school, FYI).

The advantage of a proximity school is that there will be more kids within walking distance of the school, so when your kid makes friends, it will be easier for them to walk over which is nice.

Do you know which schools are proximity for you?

In addition to the other good ideas here, there is a lot of expertise about schools generally, and the lottery in particular, on the cpsparents email list. You can get some info at https://cpsparents.groups.io/g/main or just subscribe via email to main+subscribe@cpsparents.groups.io. It's been quieter lately but this is just the kind of question where the wide-ranging membership there will likely have useful comments, both about the lottery and specific schools.